Prunella vulgaris, the common self-heal, heal-all, woundwort, heart-of-the-earth, carpenter’s herb, brownwort or blue curls, is a herbaceous plant in the mint family Lamiaceae. Wikipedia I usually don’t mind a little heal-all in and around the garden but this year it was extra prolific. It took over the herb bed inside and out. I could hardly … More Weekend In The Weeds
Temperatures in the 70’s this week! I am finally back behind the wheel after a very cold and wet spring! Grand-dog came by for a visit and curious as to what I was doing. Warming up my throwing muscles. Starting with 1/2 pound of clay. Making small bowls to sell as trinket or ring dishes, … More Warming Up!
What beautiful weather we had last week! Clear blue sunny sky. Flowers blooming. Birds, bees and kitties busy. Note the elevated Kitty water bowl: a TONKA Toy dump truck. This TONKA dump truck has been through two generations (children & grandchildren) and now serves as our back porch watering hole for cats, birds, squirrels, … More Well, Sleet!
Hooray! Spring sprung! The much anticipated warmer weather, blue skies and tons of sunshine has arrived. Nature rejoices and so do I!!! Spring training on my back porch studio. Warming up with a small lump of clay (about 1/2 pound) this week. Spring training on the soccer field. Our grandson behind the ball and me … More Pop! Spring!
2023 has presented me with challenges. Challenges that require my energy to be in many places other than my Back Porch Studio. In 2023 -2024 I will be selling only ready to ship items as my time allows. I plan to focus on pet dishes, mugs and wine cups May through October in preparation for the 2023 Holiday Season. If you are NOT in a hurry, please … More Throwing Season 2023
Back home. . . These two are waiting for warmer weather and long sunny afternoons to return to the back porch. Who needs fancy store bought cat beds when a good old box will do. Notice they are plugged in. Because both are elderly cats, the warmth from the heating pad beneath the blanket makes … More Meanwhile
It starts with a ball of clay. Each ball rolled out flat into a slab then placed over a hump mold. A hump mold is a convex form over which clay slabs are draped until stiff enough to hold the shape. When the clay is stiff enough to hold the shape, it is set aside … More Start to Finish
Spring has sprung! 100 pounds of clay! Playing in the mud, indoors, of course! Still a bit too chilly for the back porch. I am making bowls using slabs of clay draped over a mold. Finishing the rims of these three bowls while enjoying while enjoying a cup of coffee in a handmade mug 😉 … More Life in April
. . .because EVERYTHING is in bloom! Always take time to smell the flowers.
Soaking up the sun on our back porch. Why, yes. I made the mug! 😉 Test tiles waiting to be fired then glazed and fired again. I feel like somebody is watching me! This is Midnight. He is the Semi-feral cat we adopted. He seems to be adjusting very well and has become the most … More A View from My Back Porch Studio
Happy whatever day it is! With dear husband working from home since mid-March, it is as if every day is Saturday. Not that he works from home on Saturdays but he is home. Every day. Both of us in the house through the week has taken some getting used to. I think we will survive. … More Checking In
We are having a beautiful spring although I am having trouble remembering what day it is. Each day is like the day before but it has been nice to watch what pops up in the garden. Dear husband has been working from home now for three weeks. I am back behind my wheel. Not quite … More Close to Normal Part 2
Life is close to normal around here. Flowers and trees starting to bloom. And I am back behind my wheel throwing things. I pushed “Publish” before I was done and since then I forgot what else I was going to say! So, with that I’ll bid you adieu. Until next time, stay well. … More Close to Normal
Deep in the earth I woke, I stirred. I said: “Was that the Spring I heard? For something called!” “No, no,” they said; “Go back to sleep. Go back to bed. You’re far too soon; The world’s too cold For you, so small,” So I was told. But how could I go back to sleep? I … More Was That Spring I heard?
Okay. Maybe not wordless but it is raining, again, and it is Thursday. So,what does one do on the back porch when it is raining? Take pictures, of course! Aside from taking pictures of my rainy day, I did load the kiln to fire tomorrow. A glaze firing! I am looking forward to Sunday when … More Wordless Rainy Thursday
At last, the sun shines today! The forecast, however, is calling for MORE RAIN over the next 10 days! Sigh. I’m growing tired of grey days and rain.
I usually don’t complain about the weather unless it is cold. I do not like being cold. If it is below 70 degrees, that’s it. I’m complaining. This spring, however, I find myself complaining about the lack of sun light. Over the winter, I yearned for bright spring sunny days but so far we have … More A View From My Back Porch
It’s spring ya’ll! I’ve been a little short on words lately but that is not to say nothing is going on. Over the winter I: took a hand-building pottery class took an excellent on-line photography class read all of the books I received for Christmas reviewed my glazing notes to try to solve glazing problems … More Fast Forward to April
Okay, yes. The title of this post is a little dramatic but are not snakes dramatic when you are not expecting them. So, I’m blissfully throwing pots on my back porch today when I notice our cat following something through the yard. I didn’t think anything too much about it because, after all, it is … More SNAKE!
We had so much fun at the pottery supply store this week! So many wonderful and pretty things to look at including a huge turquoise ceramic bowl filled with MKM small circular wooden stamps. The wooden stamp filled bowl was right at our grandson’s reach. He relished the feel and look of each and every … More Back In Production!
This is an annual move from the basement to the back porch. Luckily, this year I didn’t have too many loads to lug up the stairs (12 steps). My pottery wheel stayed under wraps on the back porch over the winter. I was happy to unwrap it, clean it off and set it up! So … More Today was Moving Day!
Back Porch Studio 